Tuesday, January 31, 2012

TOP PHOTO: the retina of the right eye of our patient, D.C. Note the white area where the retina has detached.

BOTTOM PHOTO: the retina of the left eye of our patient, D.C. Note the normal, red retina throughout the photo.

Our patient, D.C, sure must be glad that he has a 'spare tire' when it comes to eyes. When he was in his late teens, he obtained a basketball injury to his right eye. The injury caused the retina to detach from the back of his eye, so he is unable to see normally in that eye. Interestingly, a small part of the retina remained attached to the eye in the top part of the eye, so now he can actually see things that are below him only (the top part of the eye sees the bottom of our visual field). The injury also caused a traumatic cataract in his right eye, so there is less light entering that eye as well.The beautiful retinal photos above show the retinal detachment in our special patient's eyes. He can still see normally out of his left eye, so you would never know from looking at him that he had one eye that was essentially blind. Aren't you glad God gave us two eyes?!